Corpse Found After Van Stolen From Rockford Funeral Home: Police

CHICAGO — Authorities are continuing to investigate the theft of a van that was stolen from a Rockford funeral home with a deceased man’s body inside. Officials said the body was missing when the van was found in Chicago on Sunday evening and later found on the city's South Side on Monday, police said.

Rockford Police said on Sunday that the van was stolen a day earlier from Collins & Stone Funeral Home, which is located at 128 W. 5th St. in Rockford.

“Unfortunately, there was a deceased man in the cargo area,” police said in a roundup of weekend incidents released on Monday.

Rockford Police said that they were made aware that the van was traveling toward the Chicago area. Chicago Police informed police officials in Rockford that the van was found in Chicago, but the body was not inside.

On Monday night, Rockford Police said that the body of the deceased man from the stolen van was found in the 8200 block of South Manistee Avenue in Chicago. Police did not offer further details about the incident, but said in a social media post, updates would be coming.

Earlier on Monday, Rockford Police said they were continuing to investigate the incident and said they will provide more information as it becomes available. Police also released photos on social media of a possible suspect in the theft of the van and asked the public for assistance in providing details about the man pictured in the photos.

When police said the body had been found in Chicago, officials continued to point to the suspect whose picture was issued by police earlier on Monday.